ALEX Lesson Plans

Title: How to Make Something Simple...Hard
Description:
Students will have completed a unit of forces and motion prior to the current unit of study on simple machines (lever, inclined plane, screw, wedge, pulley, wheel and axle). Students will review the functions and examples of simple machines and view example Rube Goldberg machines. Students will create a compound machine out of all six simple machines to complete a simple task of their choosing. The machine should meet the limitations given in the rubric and be able to be demonstrated at school. Students will complete a PowerPoint slide show about the history of Rube Goldberg machines and write an expository essay about their finished machine.
Standard(s): [TC2] (6-8) 5: Use basic features of word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software.

Subject: English Language Arts (8), or Credit Recovery Science (8), or Science (9 - 12), or Technology Education (6 - 8) Title: How to Make Something Simple...HardDescription: Students will have completed a unit of forces and motion prior to the current unit of study on simple machines (lever, inclined plane, screw, wedge, pulley, wheel and axle). Students will review the functions and examples of simple machines and view example Rube Goldberg machines. Students will create a compound machine out of all six simple machines to complete a simple task of their choosing. The machine should meet the limitations given in the rubric and be able to be demonstrated at school. Students will complete a PowerPoint slide show about the history of Rube Goldberg machines and write an expository essay about their finished machine.

Thinkfinity Lesson Plans

Title: Curve Balls
Description:
In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about the mathematics behind baseball pitching. Mathematician Chuck Romine discusses a new mathematical model that describes the trajectory of a curve ball. Science Updates are audio interviews with scientists and are accompanied by a set of questions as well as links to related Science NetLinks lessons and other related resources.
Standard(s): [S1] PHY (9-12) 4: Describe quantitative relationships for velocity, acceleration, force, work, power, potential energy, and kinetic energy.

Subject: Physical Education, ScienceTitle: Curve BallsDescription: In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about the mathematics behind baseball pitching. Mathematician Chuck Romine discusses a new mathematical model that describes the trajectory of a curve ball. Science Updates are audio interviews with scientists and are accompanied by a set of questions as well as links to related Science NetLinks lessons and other related resources.Thinkfinity Partner: Science NetLinksGrade Span: 6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Title: Wheelchairs
Description:
In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about an organization that counts on some of the world's poorest countries to develop some of the most innovative new ideas in wheelchair design and manufacturing. Science Updates are audio interviews with scientists and are accompanied by a set of questions as well as links to related Science NetLinks lessons and other related resources.
Standard(s): [S1] (8) 9: Describe how mechanical advantages of simple machines reduce the amount of force needed for work.

Subject: Science, Social StudiesTitle: WheelchairsDescription: In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about an organization that counts on some of the world's poorest countries to develop some of the most innovative new ideas in wheelchair design and manufacturing. Science Updates are audio interviews with scientists and are accompanied by a set of questions as well as links to related Science NetLinks lessons and other related resources.Thinkfinity Partner: Science NetLinksGrade Span: 6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Title: The Bicycle as a System
Description:
This Science NetLinks lesson gives students an opportunity to examine the nature of systems in the context of an object with which they are very familiar--the bicycle. Students identify the properties of the various subsystems of a bicycle and examine how they relate to the whole.
Standard(s): [S1] (8) 9: Describe how mechanical advantages of simple machines reduce the amount of force needed for work.

Subject: ScienceTitle: The Bicycle as a SystemDescription: This Science NetLinks lesson gives students an opportunity to examine the nature of systems in the context of an object with which they are very familiar--the bicycle. Students identify the properties of the various subsystems of a bicycle and examine how they relate to the whole.Thinkfinity Partner: Science NetLinksGrade Span: 6,7,8

Title: Inventors and Innovators
Description:
The purpose of this Science NetLinks lesson is to use the Internet to explore the scientific enterprise and the contributions to science of various people. Students use the Inventor of the Week Archives on the Invention Dimension Web site to create a class project on American invention.
Standard(s):

Subject: Social StudiesTitle: Inventors and InnovatorsDescription: The purpose of this Science NetLinks lesson is to use the Internet to explore the scientific enterprise and the contributions to science of various people. Students use the Inventor of the Week Archives on the Invention Dimension Web site to create a class project on American invention.Thinkfinity Partner: Science NetLinksGrade Span: 6,7,8

Title: Putting the Ice in Hockey
Description:
In this Science NetLinks lesson, students explore a Web site to learn that what happens at the surface of ice to give it its slippery nature can be explained by molecular motion. Students should be familiar with solids, liquids, and gases prior to this lesson.
Standard(s): [S1] (8) 9: Describe how mechanical advantages of simple machines reduce the amount of force needed for work.

Subject: ScienceTitle: Putting the Ice in HockeyDescription: In this Science NetLinks lesson, students explore a Web site to learn that what happens at the surface of ice to give it its slippery nature can be explained by molecular motion. Students should be familiar with solids, liquids, and gases prior to this lesson.Thinkfinity Partner: Science NetLinksGrade Span: 6,7,8

Title: What Floats Your Boat?
Description:
In this Science NetLinks lesson, the second in a three-part series on ships, students use what they have learned about ship design (along with some additional information on the Web about how ships are built) to design and build a small model boat, using limited materials. They then develop a procedure to determine the load line for their boat while it is in '' calm'' waters. Finally, they test their boat in '' rough'' waters to determine whether the load line is a practical one.
Standard(s): [S1] (8) 9: Describe how mechanical advantages of simple machines reduce the amount of force needed for work.

Subject: ScienceTitle: What Floats Your Boat?Description: In this Science NetLinks lesson, the second in a three-part series on ships, students use what they have learned about ship design (along with some additional information on the Web about how ships are built) to design and build a small model boat, using limited materials. They then develop a procedure to determine the load line for their boat while it is in '' calm'' waters. Finally, they test their boat in '' rough'' waters to determine whether the load line is a practical one.Thinkfinity Partner: Science NetLinksGrade Span: 6,7,8

Title:Creating a Rube Goldberg ContraptionDigital Tool: YouTube videoDigital Tool Description: This video will model for students how to create their own Rube Goldberg contraption culminating project using simple machines.

ALEX Multimedia

Title: Stealth Glider
Overview:
Learn to make a Stealth Glider with a step by step video and included handouts. Standard(s):
[S1] (8) 9: Describe how mechanical advantages of simple machines reduce the amount of force needed for work.

Title: Archives Aeroflyer
Overview:
Learn to make an Archives Aeroflyer with a step by step video and included handouts. Standard(s):
[SC2015] PHYS (9-12) 5: Construct models that illustrate how energy is related to work performed on or by an object and explain how different forms of energy are transformed from one form to another (e.g., distinguishing between kinetic, potential, and other forms of energy such as thermal and sound; applying both the work-energy theorem and the law of conservation of energy to systems such as roller coasters, falling objects, and spring-mass systems; discussing the effect of frictional forces on energy conservation and how it affects the motion of an object).

Title: How to Make Something Simple...Hard
Overview:
After studying the six simple machines, students work in collaborative groups to research and then create Rube Goldberg machines. These machines must complete a simple task by utilizing each and all of the six simple machines working together to complete this task. Students may use any materials they can find to create the machine. Students will take digital pictures and/or video of their projects as they demonstrate them. Standard(s):
[SC2015] PSC (9-12) 12: Design, build, and test the ability of a device (e.g., Rube Goldberg
devices, wind turbines, solar cells, solar ovens) to convert one form of energy
into another form of energy.*

How to Make Something Simple...HardOverview:After studying the six simple machines, students work in collaborative groups to research and then create Rube Goldberg machines. These machines must complete a simple task by utilizing each and all of the six simple machines working together to complete this task. Students may use any materials they can find to create the machine. Students will take digital pictures and/or video of their projects as they demonstrate them.

Thinkfinity Multimedia

Title: Curve Balls
Description:
In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about the mathematics behind baseball pitching. Mathematician Chuck Romine discusses a new mathematical model that describes the trajectory of a curve ball. Science Updates are audio interviews with scientists and are accompanied by a set of questions as well as links to related Science NetLinks lessons and other related resources.
Standard(s): [S1] PHY (9-12) 4: Describe quantitative relationships for velocity, acceleration, force, work, power, potential energy, and kinetic energy.

Subject: Physical Education, ScienceTitle: Curve BallsDescription: In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about the mathematics behind baseball pitching. Mathematician Chuck Romine discusses a new mathematical model that describes the trajectory of a curve ball. Science Updates are audio interviews with scientists and are accompanied by a set of questions as well as links to related Science NetLinks lessons and other related resources.Thinkfinity Partner: Science NetLinksGrade Span: 6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Title: Wheelchairs
Description:
In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about an organization that counts on some of the world's poorest countries to develop some of the most innovative new ideas in wheelchair design and manufacturing. Science Updates are audio interviews with scientists and are accompanied by a set of questions as well as links to related Science NetLinks lessons and other related resources.
Standard(s): [S1] (8) 9: Describe how mechanical advantages of simple machines reduce the amount of force needed for work.

Subject: Science, Social StudiesTitle: WheelchairsDescription: In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, you'll hear about an organization that counts on some of the world's poorest countries to develop some of the most innovative new ideas in wheelchair design and manufacturing. Science Updates are audio interviews with scientists and are accompanied by a set of questions as well as links to related Science NetLinks lessons and other related resources.Thinkfinity Partner: Science NetLinksGrade Span: 6,7,8,9,10,11,12